1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making an abrasive article, more particularly, a method involving curing a binder precursor by means of radiation energy.
2. Discussion of the Art
A coated abrasive article typically comprises a plurality of abrasive particles bonded to a backing by means of one or more binders. Examples of typical binders include the following cured resins: phenolic resins, aminoplast resins, urethane resins, epoxy resins, ethylenically unsaturated resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated urethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof, with cured phenolic resins being the most popular binder. Most coated abrasive articles are made by a continuous process in which a backing is first coated with a binder precursor and abrasive particles. Then, the binder precursor is cured to form a binder. This curing process results in the polymerization and solidification of the binder precursor. In some instances, it is desirable to mold a coated abrasive to impart a pattern on its abrasive surface. The molding process will provide a reproducible coating having precisely shaped abrasive particles. If the binder precursor is a thermally curable resin, the thermal cure cycle may be over 10 hours in duration. This length of cure cycle is excessively long, and, in many instances, is impractical for preparing coated abrasive articles having precisely shaped abrasive particles. It is desired to develop a process having a short cycle time for preparing a coated abrasive article having a surface bearing precisely shaped abrasive composites.